Rio Ferdinand - Rio (My Story)
Premiership football star Rio Ferdinand lifts the lid on his life in the spotlight. From his humble beginnings in Peckham to breaking the British transfer record twice and winning the Premiership with Manchester United.
After several years as a top central defender for club and country, Rio Ferdinand has become the latest high profile footballer to tell us his story. The current Manchester United and England player speaks honestly and openly about his career in football and his personal life off the pitch.
As one of the most recognizable footballers playing the game, Ferdinand has a reputation for speaking his mind and pulls no punches with an honest and truthful account of his life to date. Beginning with his rough upbringing on the streets of Peckham, Ferdinand discusses his emotional heartbreak as a young child over his parents divorce. He recollects his early beginnings in football and speaks openly about what he feels life would have been like if he didn't have football to put him on the straight and narrow.
Being a talented footballer from a delicate upbringing, Ferdinand tells of childhood pranks which were often taken too far and have caused him to develop the reputation of a trouble maker for hanging with the wrong people. He speaks of how seriously he took his football and his pride at joining West Ham's youth academy at the age of sixteen. Playing over 150 games for the Hammers, Rio joined Leeds United in a record deal where he played in a Champions League semi final and helped the club push all the way in the Premiership.
He recalls his anguish at leaving Elland Road but delight at joining Manchester United after a successful World Cup in 2002 where he was named as one of the players of the tournament. Winning the Premiership in 2003, Ferdinand then entered a downward spiral in which his career and reputation took a damaging blow when he missed a drugs test. Banned from playing for England, Ferdinand reveals the truth behind the conspiracy which saw him banned for eight months and branded as a drugs taker by many.
Away from the game itself the seasoned International shows his interest in giving back to the community through working with youngsters in deprived area and tells of how his own background has developed his interest in community schemes to get kids off the street. He speaks of his own personal battle against racists and how he feels more should be done to protect minorities from discrimination. With his own strong family cultural family background shows a side to 'Ferdinand the footballer' many may not get the impression of while he is on the pitch.
'Rio' is an interesting and open look at football from a successful professionals point of view and with a dramatic few years behind him, Ferdinand leaves us in no doubt that he will be looking to build on already successful career.
After several years as a top central defender for club and country, Rio Ferdinand has become the latest high profile footballer to tell us his story. The current Manchester United and England player speaks honestly and openly about his career in football and his personal life off the pitch.
As one of the most recognizable footballers playing the game, Ferdinand has a reputation for speaking his mind and pulls no punches with an honest and truthful account of his life to date. Beginning with his rough upbringing on the streets of Peckham, Ferdinand discusses his emotional heartbreak as a young child over his parents divorce. He recollects his early beginnings in football and speaks openly about what he feels life would have been like if he didn't have football to put him on the straight and narrow.
Being a talented footballer from a delicate upbringing, Ferdinand tells of childhood pranks which were often taken too far and have caused him to develop the reputation of a trouble maker for hanging with the wrong people. He speaks of how seriously he took his football and his pride at joining West Ham's youth academy at the age of sixteen. Playing over 150 games for the Hammers, Rio joined Leeds United in a record deal where he played in a Champions League semi final and helped the club push all the way in the Premiership.
He recalls his anguish at leaving Elland Road but delight at joining Manchester United after a successful World Cup in 2002 where he was named as one of the players of the tournament. Winning the Premiership in 2003, Ferdinand then entered a downward spiral in which his career and reputation took a damaging blow when he missed a drugs test. Banned from playing for England, Ferdinand reveals the truth behind the conspiracy which saw him banned for eight months and branded as a drugs taker by many.
Away from the game itself the seasoned International shows his interest in giving back to the community through working with youngsters in deprived area and tells of how his own background has developed his interest in community schemes to get kids off the street. He speaks of his own personal battle against racists and how he feels more should be done to protect minorities from discrimination. With his own strong family cultural family background shows a side to 'Ferdinand the footballer' many may not get the impression of while he is on the pitch.
'Rio' is an interesting and open look at football from a successful professionals point of view and with a dramatic few years behind him, Ferdinand leaves us in no doubt that he will be looking to build on already successful career.